Roger Federer of the European team will reunite to play doubles at the 2022 Laver Cup Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal overtook Roger Federer with the most Grand Slam titles ever won the Australian Open last week, but the big tennis players will join forces in the September Laver Cup. The Laver Cup, a three-day team competition that pits them against the rest of Europe, announced the name of the “Fedal” pair on Thursday.

Laver Cup news helps alleviate doubts about Federer’s tennis future. Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, has not played since last July at Wimbledon after undergoing knee surgery in August. Knee surgery was Federer’s third in a year and a half, and 40 years old. in November he admitted that “the end of his career is near”.

Federer also said he plans to play “some great games” before retiring. With Nadal, a team is definitely classified as big.

“I’m looking forward to returning to the competition later this year and the Laver Cup is part of my plan,” Federer said. he said in a statement. “I’m excited to return to The O2 and London, one of the largest cities in the world.”

Federer and Nadal have played in doubles more than once in the 2017 Laver Cup opener.

The idea of ​​reuniting was not Federer’s, however. Federer said Nadal was asked if he wanted to play in the 2022 Laver Cup together after last year’s event in Boston. The “certainly” response was affirmative for Federer, Nadal “an incredible person and an inspiration to me and many others around the world”.

Nadal, 35, holds similar respect for Federer.

“Roger has been a big part of my career, a great opponent and also a true friend,” Nadal said, winning the 21st Grand Slam record last week to beat Nadal and Novak Djokovic. “Being together in the European team is great and if we are able to share the court once again as a pair, it would be a special experience for both of us at this stage of our careers.”

Federer and Nadal hope to keep alive the unbeaten record of the European Laver Cup Group in the 2022 event, which will be played from 23 to 25 September at the O2 Arena in London.